HINSIDIG – I en tidlos host
- by Peter Loftus
- Posted on 01-12-2011
Hinsidig’s brand of Black Metal leans slightly towards the ‘depressive’ side of the genre. The music is brutal at times but played with a warm, melodic feel that makes it accessible and quickly likeable. The production is clean and modern without sacrificing any power and emotion or the subtler aspects of the music.
‘I en Tidlos Host’ is well-structured, with a good mix of fast and slow numbers and the song-writing provides enough depth and dynamism to make sure they work equally well together or in isolation. Of course, the inclusion of a Dimmu Borgir cover (Broderskapets Ring) smack in the middle of the album will raise a few eyebrows. First of all, it’s not an outstanding cover, of a song that is good but not mind-blowing and secondly, it is arguably the weakest track on the album. It’s almost as if the band decided the listener might need a musical interlude so they could go to the bathroom or brew a cup of tea. Strange.
Although Hinsidig take a pretty conventional approach to BM, the melodic touches, polished production, excellent musicianship and nuanced writing make this an album that stands out above recent releases and while it probably won’t change anyone’s life it should appeal to a wide range of listeners. Heartily recommended.